


start where you are

by sinceresapphire



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, LLF Comment Project, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2019-03-29 08:05:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13922898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinceresapphire/pseuds/sinceresapphire
Summary: Ray learns how long it took the team to find out he was gone but Nate convinces him that he definitely matters to one of the team.





	start where you are

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write a Coda fic for the episode but I couldn't resist the romantic Steelatom.

_“I still feel bad that we didn’t notice Ray was missing until a day later,” states Ava._

 

Outside the door, Ray freezes.

 

He thought the team had been concerned for him the moment he stepped off of the Waverider especially Mick, who saw what he worked on for Nora.

 

_“We were distracted and its not like we knew he left the ship,” replies Sara._

 

Unwilling to hear anymore as his self-esteem took a hit, Ray walks away from the kitchen where he planned to get something to eat and back to the lab with all desire to eat gone.

 

He drops into the chair once the door closes.

 

Well, he should be shocked that it took the team so long to notice he’d been kidnapped but somewhere, deep inside of him, he knew there was still something off in regards to his place on the team.

 

Ray thought his position with the team improved since his suit was destroyed but maybe he was just fooling himself.

 

He doesn’t want to change himself because he sees that a betrayal to himself.

 

Why isn’t there an easier way to deal with this?

 

Of course, he’s gotten used to letting the team’s comments roll of him but there is something different when it comes to their actions or lack of in this case.

 

Part of him wonders why Gideon didn’t say anything either.

 

While other part wants to take Gary under his wing or at least, get him something nice for being the critical part of getting the team to jump into action.

 

Ray sighs as he looks up at the ceiling.

 

Being a Legend has made his life worthwhile now and he won’t abandon the team because they need to stop the Darhks, regardless of how he may about Nora.

 

It seems like ages since he started on this journey of being a Legend and it’s a hard pill to swallow to realize that he didn’t come as far as he thought he did.

 

The door opens and Ray freezes.

 

He’s not sure who’d want to come into the lab unless absolutely necessary.

 

It’s too soon for a mission and Gideon would have told him to go to the bridge if there was an anachronism for the team to deal with or a Darhk sighting.

 

“Hey buddy! I’ve been looking for you,” states Nate.

 

Ray relaxes at the sound of his best friend’s voice.

 

“Hey man, did you need something?” he asks as he stands up and stretches.

 

He looks away from Nate as he stretches so he misses the look of admiration on the other man’s face as Ray’s shirt lifts slightly to show a little skin.

 

“Just wanted to see how you’re doing with everything,” replies Nate as moves across the room to lean against the table.

 

“I’m good, thought I was going to work on my suit,” replies Ray.

 

Nate stares at his friend for a few moments.

 

“Are you sure okay?” Nate asks.

 

Ray grins brightly.

 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” replies Ray.

 

Then he pulls out his suit and sets it up so he can figure out what he needs to work on first.

 

He tries to focus on his suit but feels Nate staring at him.

 

Narrowing his eyes, Nate moves over to where Ray stares at his suit then pulls him to make him look at him.

 

“Hey! What was that for?” questions Ray.

 

“I know you and that means I know you’re tying too hard to come as your usual self,” replies Nate.

 

Maybe he should talk to Nate.

 

If anyone wouldn’t have a problem talking it through with him, it would be Nate.

 

The rest of the team just doesn’t do emotions.

 

At least, with Ray…they don’t and that’s probably a problem.

 

“I overheard Sara and Ava talking about how the team didn’t know I was gone for an entire day and I was just a bit oversensitive; that’s all. I’ll get over it.”

 

Nate flinches slightly at Ray’s confession.

 

His best friend deserves better than that; Sara should have told him straight up, at least that would have been better than eavesdropping.

 

Then he thinks about what he told Ray when they got him back.

 

[ _“You would, you big softie. You’re a delicate flower Raymond Palmer. Take care of that heart of yours.”_ ]

 

“Hey, you don’t need to get over it, right away. Your feelings are valid,” starts Nate then he takes a deep breath to say what he feels he needs to say, “I’m sorry that it took us so long to notice you weren’t here, that we needed a Bureau agent to tell us.”

 

Ray stares at Nate as a warm feeling blossoms in his chest.

 

“Nate….”

 

Shaking his head, Nate holds up a hand to stop Ray in his tracks.

 

“I’m not done. Your heart is one of my favorite things about you as much as it frustrates me. You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t feel so deeply.”

 

His eyes widen in surprise as Ray processes what Nate said because no one’s really said that about him before.

 

Nate takes another deep breath.

 

This is it.

 

There’s no going back after this next sentence because it will change everything, for good or bad.

 

“I love your heart because I love you,” says Nate firmly as he looks up into Ray’s eyes.

 

After a couple seconds, Ray moves closer so their chests are almost touching.

 

“I’ve dreamed of you saying that for a long time and now that you’ve really said it…I love you, Nate Heywood. You’re the most important person to me on the ship,” confesses Ray.

 

The men stare at each other before Ray leans down to kiss Nate.

 

Wrapping his arms around Ray’s neck, Nate deepens the kiss as he feels Ray’s arms wrap around his waist.

 

After a couple moments, they pull away just enough to breath.

 

“Wanna go watch Star Wars in my bunk?” asks Nate with a smirk on his face.

 

Ray looks between his suit and Nate.

 

It is an easy decision for him.

 

“Hell yes.”

 

 _A New Hope_ barely has a chance to play onscreen before the men are pleasantly distracted by each other.

 

If Nate made a mental note to talk to Sara later, well…no one needs to know.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is part of the [LLF Comment Project](https://longlivefeedback.tumblr.com/llfcommentproject), which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates feedback, including:
> 
>   * Short comments
>   * Long comments
>   * Questions
>   * Constructive criticism
>   * “<3” as extra kudos
>   * Reader-reader interaction
> 

> 
> This author replies to comments.
> 
> Note: If you don’t want a reply, for any reason (sometimes I feel shy when I’m reading and not up to starting a conversation, for example), feel free to sign your comment with “whisper” and I will appreciate it but not respond!


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